Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former Chief Executive (CE) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has closed his defence without mounting the box to testify.
Dr Opuni, first accused (A1), told the Land Division of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Aboakye Tandoh, yesterday, that he was satisfied with the evidences of his 10 witnesses.
According to his lead Counsel, Samuel Codjoe, Dr Stephen Opuni would not mount the witness box and that he was satisfied with the evidences of his witnesses.
The defendant called ten witness, namely – Charles Tetteh Dodoo, former Director of Finance at COCOBOD, Samuel Torbi, 2013 National Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer, Amo Amankwa, a cocoa farmer from Berekum and Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum, a former Board Chairman of COCOBOD.
The others are Samuel Adigreh, a retired District Cocoa Officer of CHED, Philip Baffour Kweku Agyemang, the 2017 National Best Farmer, Peter Okyere Boateng, a retired Deputy Executive Director of Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of COCOBOD, Dr. Gilbert Anim Kwapong, former Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Reginald Adukwa, Opuni’s personal banker, Dr. Richard Adu-Acheampong, current Deputy Executive Director at CRIG and Samuel Amponsah a former Deputy Executive Director of CHED.
Majority of the defence witnesses were subpoenaed by the court at the request of Dr. Opuni.
Benson Nutsukpui, Counsel for Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited, two other accused persons standing trial with Dr. Opuni, wanted the court’s assistance to invite five people.
He wanted the court to subpoena Dr. Francis Baah, from CRIG/CHED Bunso, Paul Agyei Gyan, EOCO head office, Madam Pheona Gyamfi, Ghana Standard Authority, Madam Bernice Debrah Ashun, Deputy Procurement Manager COCOBOD, Jerome Agbesi Dogbatse and Rev. Father Dr. Oddoye.
The court has ordered a hearing notice to be served on the Pheona Gyamfi, Vivian Baah Mantey, Samuel Alan and Francis Cyril and adjourned the suit to Thursday 15th February, 2024.
The suit started in 2017 and had Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Court of Appeal judge, who was later promoted to the Supreme Court as the presiding judge.
Dr Opuni and his legal team made several attempts to remove Justice Honyenuga from presiding over the case but failed.
Though they succeeded once at the Supreme Court, the Attorney-General appealed the decision and the trial judge was reinstated after judicial review.
Justice Honyenuga was given six months to complete the case, but could not do so before going on retirement.
Justice Anokye Gyimah was then assigned to continue with the case. He upheld an application by Dr. Opuni’s legal team to start the case de Novo. Justice Gyimah was later transferred and the case was reassigned to Justice Aboakye Tandoh.
Dr Opuni and Agongo are facing 27 counts for allegedly engaging in illegalities that caused the Republic of Ghana to lose GH¢271.3 million. They are accused of allegedly distributing sub-standard fertiliser, Lithovit, to cocoa farmers.
